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Perino: Iraq as important as Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, July 22 (UPI) -- White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Tuesday Iraq and Afghanistan are equally important in the U.S. fight against terrorism.

Perino told the daily press briefing even as the situation is easing in Iraq and troop levels are being reduced, an additional 30,000 troops have been sent to Afghanistan. She said, however, she is unaware of any imminent announcement of more troops being sent there, despite Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama's insistence at least two or three more brigades are needed to secure border areas.

Perino said the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan differ significantly. Though Iraq's infrastructure was crumbling, it still had an infrastructure, Perino said.

"In Afghanistan, we're dealing with a fundamentally different issue," she said. "There's hardly any road. There's no electricity. There's hardly any jobs. … it's going to take longer there."

Perino added: "I would say that both fronts are critically important."

Perino noted terror is a global issue, citing the bulldozer incident in Israel Tuesday and the bus explosion in China Monday.

Obama: 'I'm a friend of Israel'

AMMAN, Jordan, July 22 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Tuesday said there will be no change in Washington's commitment to Israel no matter who wins the presidency.

Obama, the presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee, flanked by his traveling companions Sens. Charles Hagel, D-Neb., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., told a news conference in Amman, Jordan, both he and his likely November opponent, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., are "strong" friends of Israel.

That said, Obama added: "What I think can change is the ability of the United States government and the United States president to be actively engaged with the peace process, and to be concerned and recognize the legitimate difficulties that the Palestinian people are experiencing right now and -- and recognize that it is not only in the interests of the Palestinian people and that their situation improves."

Obama said he feels strongly that a two-state solution is the answer but noted continued terror attacks against Israeli civilians undermine the peace process, making it impossible for Israelis to feel secure. He also called on Palestinians to resolve their internal differences.

"It's going to be very difficult for Israelis to resolve a significant peace agreement if they don't know who they should be dealing with and who can actually enforce an agreement," Obama said.

British troops in Iraq may be on final leg

LONDON, July 22 (UPI) -- Security conditions in Iraq are such British troops may be ready for a smooth withdrawal from the Mideast country, a military official said.

British Brig. Julian Free, leading the 4th Mechanized Brigade on a homecoming march to Parliament, said security in Iraq had "transformed," The Times of London reported Tuesday. The brigade monitored the handover of Basra's security to Iraqis and helped train the Iraqi army.

"Security there has taken a massive turn for the better," Free said. "The Iraq army have helped us along."

Asked whether a British withdrawal could be in the offing, Free said, "It will be a smooth and steady program. The Iraqis are keen to do more for themselves and I think they will soon be in a position when they can take over."

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited British troops in Iraq last weekend, telling them that they were on their last leg of service there but didn't commit to a timetable for withdrawal.

A report by members of a House of Commons Select Committee who recently visited Basra said the southern Iraqi city "has been transformed in the past six months and (Britain) is helping the Iraqi security forces become self-sufficient and effective."

Perino downplays Senate speculation vote

WASHINGTON, July 22 (UPI) -- White House spokeswoman Dana Perino Tuesday downplayed the significance of the Senate's 94-0 vote to curb oil speculation.

At the daily press briefing, Perino said the administration believes supply-and-demand are largely responsible for the recent run-up in oil prices.

"So while they can have the vote on speculation and they can move forward on that, we think that it is critical that we start focusing on the resources that we have in our country and the ways that we can access those resources in environmentally friendly ways, including oil shale, offshore oil drilling and opening up a small bit of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to drilling," Perino said.

Dolly nears hurricane strength in Gulf

MIAMI, July 22 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Dolly's winds were just shy of hurricane status Tuesday afternoon over the Gulf of Mexico as it approached the U.S.-Mexico border.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 2 p.m., Dolly's sustained winds had increased to 70 mph with slightly higher gusts. When sustained winds surpass 74 mph, a storm becomes a Category 1 hurricane. The storm was centered about 195 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas, moving northwest near 10 mph, forecasters said.

Tropical storm-force winds extended 160 miles from the center and the report said current conditions would mean a landfall likely as a hurricane Wednesday near the Mexican-U.S. border.

Mexico had tropical storm warnings posted from the U.S. border south to Rio San Fernando, while the Texas hurricane warning was from Brownsville north to Port O'Connor.

Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Cristobal veered farther from northeastern North American shores. Forecasters said the storm, centered about 280 miles south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was moving northeast near 25 mph with 65 mph winds and higher gusts.

The Canadian Hurricane Center said the storm "will track far enough offshore to prevent strong winds from affecting land areas" although heavy surf and heavy rain had begun in the province.